“The aesthetic of harder techno works for someone in our position because of course you’re frustrated, feeling oppressed, and you have a lot to say about what’s going on in the world and personally,” Madi Levine AKA IVVY told Marke Bieschke for a 2018 Redbull article. “That’s easy to put into angry-sounding music because you can get it off your chest. It’s a combination of catharsis and escapism, being somewhere else where there’s nothing to worry about. But there’s so much more to say, so many more textures and possibilities with making heavy music beyond that.”
It’s easy to listen to edgier techno and fall into the same old tropes. IVVY’s take pushes back. They produce music that’s meant to hear on a booming sound system, in a safe space, surrounded by a queer dance-floor. They make protest music. They make protest music designed to foster an out of body experience. That drive is what motivated the fifth installment of our new Ground Level series.
IVVY misses the rave. Yes, we know what you’re thinking. We all miss the rave. This month, As You Like It Coast to Coast shines a light on the intimate and diverse Seattle dance music community Sunday, October 25, 2020. Hailing from Chicago, they moved to Seattle looking for a nurturing safe space to create music. Here’s your moment to dig into their contributions to the Seattle community that we’ve all been hearing about.
Venmo: @ivvyseattle
What are your preferred pronouns?
IVVY: They/them
Tell us about who you are as a DJ. What kind of music do you play and what was your inspiration behind the mix?
IVVY: As a producer and a DJ I try my hardest to contribute to techno as positively as possible through continuously learning, respecting, and spreading the history and lineage of the genre and culture.
My music and music in general is entirely who and what I am. There is no other way I truly am alive in this world. My purpose is to make tracks, period.
I make techno/rave music as my main focus and sometimes ambient music. This year I have done some work with downtempo and breaks for the 1st time in decades and it’s been fun and interesting.
The inspiration for this set was simple: We miss the rave!
What local projects (events, crews, labels, and beyond) are you involved with?
IVVY: I’m formerly a part of the ex label and party MOTOR. This year I have put records out with Spontaneous Affinity, Secondnature, and most recently Identity Spectrum Records.
What makes your local community special?
IVVY: The insane amount of talent and support as well as dedicated ravers and afters freaks! Seriously though it’s a small scene made up of mostly fellow DJs and producers so it can be a really sweet and cute place to help each other hone each other’s skills.
With the Covid-19 virus impacting society, an activated social justice movement, and the economy in tatters, there’s so much uncertainty in the air. What do you hope to see happen going forward?
IVVY: I’ve gone over this question a lot so I’m going to keep it short and to the point: Defund the police, Fund Black and Brown communities, Universal healthcare, House the homeless!! The list goes on.
Would you mind sharing the tracklist for your mix?
Track list:
IVVY – Floating in a circle (live version) – Self release
IVVY – Lets go back – unreleased
IVVY – Bad mood – unreleased
IVVY – English bake – unreleased
IVVY – Kepler 1649 – unreleased
IVVY – Painful light – unreleased
IVVY – Witchcraft – unreleased
IVVY – No, no – unreleased
IVVY – Closer – unreleased
IVVY – Somebody kill me – Identity Spectrum Records
IVVY – God are you there, its Madi – Secondnature
IVVY – Kicks over my head – unreleased
IVVY – Be good – unreleased
